Personal Best (1982)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Robert Towne

Writer:

Robert Towne (writer)

Release Date:

26 May 1983 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Plot:

The intertwined lives and loves of three highly-ranked athletes striving for the national team; Chris...

Plot Keywords:

Lesbianism | Running | Lesbian Athlete | Drugs | Injury

Cast

Mariel Hemingway	...	Chris Cahill
Scott Glenn	...	Terry Tingloff
Patrice Donnelly	...	Tory Skinner
Kenny Moore	...	Denny Stites
Jim Moody	...	Roscoe Travis
Kari G. Peyton	...	Penny Brill (as Kari Gosswiller)
Jodi Anderson	...	Nadia 'Pooch' Anderson
Maren Seidler	...	Tanya
Martha Watson	...	Sheila
Emily Dole	...	Maureen
Pam Spencer	...	Jan
Deby Laplante	...	Trish
Mitzi McMillin	...	Laura
Jan Glotzer	...	Karen
Jan Van Reenen	...	Yelovitch

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:R | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

1305 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, USA

Company:

Geffen Company, The

Trivia:

Writer and director Robert Towne researched the project by hanging out with many track stars of both genders. The original plan was to show runners training for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. When the U.S. boycotted those games, some lines in the script had to be altered.

Quotes:

Terry Tingloff: The high jump is a masochists event-it always ends on failure.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in It's in the Water (1997)

Soundtrack:

YOU MAKE LOVING FUN

Personal Fave.

Some of the posts here are very critical of this film, accusing it of being slow and exploitative. But I think it should be taken into account that this is essentially a film about people's relationship to each other, and not about car chases and explosions. I found it to be understated, realistic, and very watchable. Okay, there are a few nude scenes which may appear gratuitous. But as highly trained athletes, I think they would feel pretty secure about their bodies, and the camaraderie between them all which is apparent in the movie, would suggest that none of them would be embarrassed at being undressed together. Mariel is ultra believable as the confused young protagonist, which is not surprising as she said in a documentary that she actually trained like an athlete every day for almost a year, in order to prepare for the role. It's a shame to see how far downhill her acting career has gone since.

My one criticism is about Scott Glen, who is his usual wooden self, and not a character at all...He looks the part, but doesn't deliver the goods. But hey, it's such a cool watchable movie, I'll overlook that gripe.

It's weird to note that a lot of the sports fashions in the film are now back in style.